NEW YORK, CMC – Caribbean American Democratic Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke has collaborated with New Jersey Democratic Senator Cory Booker in leading a letter signed by 33 of their colleagues in urging the Biden Administration in the United States to designate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and prioritize a culturally relevant outreach campaign for the Republic of Mali, as it faces harsh humanitarian conditions, ongoing violence against civilian populations, and armed conflict.
Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, represents the predominantly Caribbean 9th Congressional District in Brooklyn.
“Temporary Protected Status would offer a chance for safety and stability to Malians facing armed conflict and a humanitarian crisis,” says the letter addressed to President Joe Biden; Alejandro Mayorkas, US Secretary of Homeland Security; and Antony Blinken, US Secretary of State on Friday. “We are grateful for the bicameral congressional letter from Representative Clarke and Senator Booker’s office and their dedication to securing life-saving relief for Malian nationals facing dire circumstances.
“We must prioritize relief and protection for all communities affected in all our advocacy efforts,” write the members. “If designated, TPS would protect over 2000 Malians in the US from deportation, as well as allow them to temporarily work in the US to provide for themselves and their families.
“As you know, the administration can grant TPS to foreign nationals if their country of origin is impacted by armed conflict, unprecedented natural disaster, or other extraordinary, temporary conditions,” they write. “Mali has been experiencing heightened levels of political and economic instability and a security crisis since a military coup in 2012.”
Despite being engaged in a democratization process since 1991, the US congressional representatives said Mali’s political tensions have resulted in coups in 2020 and 2021.
They said widespread human rights violations and abuses against civilians, including war crimes, have been attributed to armed extremist groups, ethnic militias, and government security forces.
After an economic recession in 2020, the legislators said Mali’s economic recovery in 2021 was weaker than initially projected and that poverty continues to accelerate.
Consequently, they said the country is experiencing extreme poverty and food insecurity, with limited access to safe drinking water, healthcare, and other necessary resources.
Additionally, the congressional representatives said climate change-related environmental challenges have impacted the sustainable use of natural resources, resulting in desertification, mining, loss of biodiversity, and water pollution.
Of the 12.9 million people affected by these crises in 2022, they said 6.3 million need humanitarian assistance.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has projected for 2022 that the persistence of State absence, rampant impunity, and widespread armed violence will continue to generate multiple and protracted displacements, further accentuating the civilian population’s vulnerabilities and increasing the risk of community tensions.
“Due to the current extraordinary and temporary country conditions, Malians would be placed at serious risk if returned,” the congressional representatives said. “These conditions have also contributed to significant hardship to Malian students in the US.”
As a result, they additionally requested the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to issue Special Student Relief (SSR) in conjunction with a designation of TPS.
“Accompanying the TPS designation, we request a culturally relevant outreach campaign to the impacted community,” they said. “It is essential that the administration prioritizes equity in considering TPS for Mali and all countries whose conditions meet TPS requirements, regardless of their racial makeup.
“We thank you for your attention to this matter and look forward to working with you on taking the necessary measures to protect the Malian community in the United States,” the representatives added.
Diana Konate, US National Policy Director at African Communities Together, said her organization was “grateful to the leadership” of Congresswoman Clarke, Senator Booker, and 33 members of the US Congress, “who have championed this program and our ask for Mali’s swift designation.”
“Temporary Protected Status would offer a chance for safety and stability to Malians facing armed conflict and a humanitarian crisis. We are grateful for the bicameral congressional letter from Representative Clarke and Senator Booker’s office and their dedication to securing life-saving relief for Malian nationals facing dire circumstances. We must prioritize relief and protection for all communities affected in all our advocacy efforts,” Ramya Reddy, TPS-DED Administrative Advocacy Coalition.
“Mali is facing extraordinary crises, including armed conflict, political instability, and a deteriorating humanitarian emergency. We thank Representative Clarke and Senator Booker for calling on the Biden administration to designate Mali for TPS and urge this administration to act without delay,” said Andrea Flores, Vice President for Immigration Policy and Campaigns at FWD.us.
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